California Native Plants with Edible Fruits

Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
© Project SOUND
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2014 (our 10th year)

© Project SOUND
Fabulous Fruits:
California native plants with
edible fruits
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve
April 5 & 8, 2014

2014: Bringing Nature Home - Lessons from
Gardening Traditions Worldwide
© Project SOUND
A few lessons from the gardens of France
http://www.lelude.com/en/jardins.php

We’ll also see how Moroccan gardens
incorporate fruit trees
© Project SOUND
http://www.darnanka.com/en/swimmingpool-garden.php

What do most people think of when they
think of fruit trees?
© Project SOUND
http://www.treemendus-fruit.com/_borders/apple%20tree.JPG
http://www.texaspeaches.com/vogel/PeachTree.jpg

The Rose family contains some of our
most tempting fruits
 One of the six most
economically important crop
plant families
 Includes: apples, pears, quinces,
loquats, almonds, peaches/
nectarines, apricots, plums,
cherries, strawberries,
raspberries, blackberries and
roses
© Project SOUND
Hawthorn

What is a fruit? How do they develop?
 Fruit (botany): a part of a
flowering plant that develops
from specific tissues of the
flower (one or more ovaries,
and in some cases accessory
tissues).
 As the ovules develop into
seeds, the ovary begins to
ripen and the ovary wall, the
pericarp, may become fleshy
(as in berries), or form a hard
outer covering (as in nuts).
© Project SOUND
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/apples/images/plant.gif

Why did fleshy fruits arise in some plants?
 Fruits are the means by
which these plants
disseminate seeds.
 By making the fruits more
attractive (sweet/colorful),
plants attract the best
disseminators: birds, animals
& humans
 This is another good example
of:
 Mutualistic relationships
 Plants spending a little extra
energy on reproduction
© Project SOUND
https://botanistinthekitchen.wordpress.com/2013/08/
Are plants our servants – or
are we theirs???

There actually is a CA native apple
 Raintree Nursery
 Forest Farm Nursery
© Project SOUND
*Malus fusca - Pacific crabapple
https://www.forestfarm.com/product.php?id=2938
http://okanaganokanogan.com/2013/09/17/ancient-stories-of-life-death-and-art/

© Project SOUND
* Madrone – Arbutus menziesii
©2006 Julie Wakelin

 SW British Columbia S through WA,
OR, CA (coastal mountains & west
slopes Sierra Nevada; San Gabriels .
 The southern limit: Mount Palomar,
San Diego County.
 Wooded slopes/canyons in oak,
redwood, mixed evergreen forests,
chaparral < 5000 ft.
© Project SOUND
* Madrone – Arbutus menziesii
©2006 Julie Wakelin
Image by Scott Jones
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_cpn.pl?ARME
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik
i/Arbutus_menziesii

Madrone: declining in most of its range
 Possible causes: fire control
 Under natural conditions, madrones depend on intermittent naturally
occurring fires to reduce the conifer overstory.
 Mature trees survive fire, and can regenerate more rapidly after fire.
They are often associated. They also produce very large numbers of
seeds, which sprout following fire.
 Possible causes: increasing development pressures
 Destruction due to changed drainage: extremely sensitive to alteration
of the grade or drainage near the root crown.
 Until about 1970, this phenomenon was not widely recognized; many
local governments have addressed this issue by stringent restrictions
on grading and drainage alterations when Madrones are present.
 Possible causes: disease
 Susceptible to many fungal pathogens
 Affected to a small extent by sudden oak death, a disease caused by
the water-mold Phytophthora ramorum.
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Madrone: a stately tree  Size:
 50-100+ ft tall (slow
growth; generally 20-50 ft)
 20-75 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Large evergreen woody tree
 Heavy limbs; irregular
pattern
 Bark red; peeling
 Foliage:
 Green to blue-green
 Leaves medium size (3-5 in.
long), simple, shiny
 Regular leaf drop
 Roots:
 Extensive root system
 Resprouts from burl
©2002 Timothy D. Ives
H. Vannoy Davis © California Academy of Sciences

© Project SOUND
Flowers: like manzanita
 Blooms: in Spring; usually Mar-
May S. CA lower elevations
 Flowers:
 Small size
 White; urn-shaped like
manzanita
 Large, showy clusters
 Bee pollinators; also visited by
hummingbirds
 Seeds:
 Small and hard
 Strong embryo dormancy -
Require 40-60 day cold-moist
stratification + acid treatment
for good germination
© 2006, G. D. Carr

Madrone fruits: showy and edible
 Pea-size bumpy, scarlet red berries
 Ripen fall through winter
 Very showy – one of the reasons this
species is planted
 Can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed or
used to make ‘cider’; can be stored for
a long time if boiled and dried
 Salinan, Miwok, Pomo, and other
California tribes hand picked berries.
Higher branches were shaken or hit
with a long stick to knock off the
berries into a basket or cleared area
 You can use a long-handled pruner .
© Project SOUND
http://www.rainyside.com/plant_gallery/natives/Arbutus_menziesii.html

Ground madrone/manzanita berries
 Collect berries in fall.
 Dry berries.
 Grind into a fine
powder.
 Use as a sweet spice or
sugar substitute – or
for tea.
© Project SOUND
http://www.livingwild.org/fall/madrone/

Wild
Granola
 Ingredients
 4 cups rolled oats
 1 cup chopped almonds or other nuts
 ¾ cup coconut
 ¼ cup maple syrup or Manzanita sugar
 ½ cup vegetable oil
 ¾ tsp salt
 ½ cup prepared Oak nut flour
 ¼ cup dried and ground wild berries (Madrone,
Manzanita, Toyon)
 ½ cup fresh berries if available
 Instructions
 Preheat oven to 300o.
 Combine the oats, nuts and coconut; add syrup
or Manzanita sugar, Oak nut flour, oil and salt.
 Pour onto 2 sheet pans; cook for approximately
1 hour, stirring occasionally.
 Add ground berries.
 Top with fresh berries just before serving.
© Project SOUND
http://www.livingwild.org/fall/madrone/

© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements  Soils:
 Texture: well-drained soils
 pH: slightly acidic best
 Light:
 Plants need part-shade for
establishment
 Probably not suited for very
hot gardens
 Water:
 Winter: good rainfall; most
places in natural range get
more than we do
 Summer: Treat as Water
Zone 2 in our area: occasional
deep water
 Other: organic mulch away from
trunk and burl
Image by Scott Jones

© Project SOUND
Madrone : big places
 Large tree in Zone 2
places; shade tree
 Along the coast
 On North-facing slopes
©2007 Julie Kierstead Nelson
© 2013, Ben Legler
© 2005, Shaun Hubbard

Madrones are great habitat trees
 Important food for the dark-
eyed junco, fox sparrow, band-
tailed pigeon, quail and others;
Fruits also eaten by mammals
 Important habitat for primary
cavity-nesting species such as
the red-breasted sapsucker
and hairy woodpecker.
 Secondary cavity nesters
such as the acorn woodpecker,
downy woodpecker, mountain
chickadee, house wren, and
western bluebird also nest in
Madrones
© Project SOUND
© 2009, Al Dodson
The trees provide food, perches and
nesting places for many bird species.

Madrone as medicine
 Burns - Rub crushed, fresh leaves on skin according to the Cowichan
Indians.
 Colds, Coughs and Sore Throats - Add approximately 5 leaves to
boiling water and steep for 20 minutes to make tea. Drink twice daily
for colds and gargle as needed for sore throats.
 Purification and Ceremony - Leaves were used in puberty
ceremonies by the Karok Indians.
 Rheumatism, Sore Muscles, Joint Inflammation - Rub crushed
leaves on skin.
 Stomach Disorders - Chew 1 to 2 leaves for stomachache or cramps,
according to the Miwok and Cahuilla Indians, or make Madrone cider by
steeping the leaves for 20 minutes.
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
*Black (Western) hawthorn – Crataegus douglasii
© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND
*Black (Western) hawthorn – Crataegus douglasii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crataegus_douglasii_range_map_2.png
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6677,6716,6717
 Native to northern and western North
America to N. CA - most abundant in
the Pacific Northwest
 Grows in varied habitats from forest
to scrubland.
 Requirement: access to deep water

Hawthorn: not just in N. America
 Historically, hawthorn species were
used for building hedges and many
cultivars have adorned ornamental
English gardens.
 The common name hawthorn comes
from an Anglo-Saxon word haguthorn
that is translated into “a fence with
thorns.”
 The English affinity for hawthorns
extends to the traditional use of its
beautiful blossoms in May Day
celebrations, to poetry where the
tree often symbolizes the spirit of
spring – and to lovely jellies
© Project SOUND
http://urbanbutterflygarden.co.uk/hawthorn-a-shrub-native-
in-hedgerows-across-britain

© Project SOUND
Hawthorn: large shrub of small tree
 Size:
 10-35 ft tall
 10-20 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded, shrubby form
 Several trunks – or short
single trunks with many stout
stems above
 True thorns
 Winter deciduous
 Slow growing
 Foliage:
 Medium green
 Oval leaves with distal teeth
 Roots: deep roots
J. E.(Jed) and Bonnie McClellan © California Academy of Sciences © 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND
Flowers: Rose family
 Blooms: in Spring – April-May in
wild - ?? April in S. Bay
 Flowers:
 Modest size: perhaps ¾
inch; but in showy clusters
 White; in parts of 5 typical
for Rose family
 Unusual scent (‘fishy’) –
attracts pollinators
including butterflies and
midges
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_douglasii
Susan McDougall @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Pomes: think ‘apple’
 Pome: seed-bearing ovary (core) is
surrounded by a thick, fleshy
hypanthium
 Usually has multiple seeds
 Common in the Rose family
 Examples:
 Garden fruits: apple, cotoneaster,
loquat, pear, Asian pear,
pyracantha
 Native fruits: toyon, hawthorn,
manzanita, mission manzanita.
serviceberry, rosehip,
© Project SOUND
http://www.puchen.org/gardens/Conservatory/pl/fruit2.html
http://garden65.blogspot.com/2013/10/foraging.html

Rose’s dirty little secret…poison
 The highly cyanogenic nature of
rosaceous stone fruits (e.g.
almonds, peaches, cherries) has
long been known.
 The fleshy portions of the ripe
fruits are basically innocuous – so
we eat them
 The seeds, which accumulate the
cyanogenic disaccharide (R)-
amygdalin, have been responsible
for numerous cases of acute
cyanide poisoning of humans and
domesticated and wild animals
© Project SOUNDhttp://barefootintheorchard.blogspot.com/2011/07/fridays-photos-stone-fruit.html

Toyon – just a rose by another name?
 The cyanogenic glycoside content of Toyon -
as well as its resultant toxicity to insects and
other herbivores - is well described.
 The cyanogenic potential is highest in the
newly developing leaves.
 The cyanic glycosides in the pulp of immature
fruits protect them from premature bird
predation
 During the long seed maturation process,
cyanogenic glucosides are gradually shifted
from pulp to seed, while pulp carbohydrates
increase and fruits turn from green to red.
 The birds read the cues and eat the fruit
 Subsequent seed predation is prevented by
the localization of cyanogenic glycosides in
the seeds. It can be used (as needed) or
converted to other Nitrogen compounds.
© Project SOUND
Toyon is the ‘pome’ branch of the
Rose Family along with quince, pear,
apple hawthorn, pyracantha,
cotoneaster, pomegranate, and others
http://curls-eyelashes.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-coat-apple-fruits.html

Hawthorn: lovely
for jellies, sauces
 Dark red when ripe in fall
 Fairly easy to pick – just
beware of thorns [another Rose
protective trick]
 Many uses:
 Jelly/syrup
 Catsup/chutney
 Sauces
 Alcoholic cordials/wine
 Etc., etc., etc.
 Come to the Spring Garden
Tea at Madrona – April 12th
to taste
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Hawthorn
Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained
 pH: any local except very alkali
 Light:
 Part-shade/dappled sun is
optimal in our area
 Full sun with adequate water
 Water:
 Winter: plenty
 Summer: regular to moderate
water – Water Zone 2-3 or 3
for good fruiting
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: needs an organic mulch
and/or herbaceous groundcover
(Yarrow; strawberries; etc.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus_douglasii
Plant young & don’t move – long taproot

© Project SOUND
Hawthorn
 In an edibles or medicinal
plants garden
 As a small tree or background
shrub – or in a hedgerow
 Habitat:
 Larval Host: Gray Hairstreak,
Mourning Cloak
 Birds ; insect pollinators
©2009 John J. Kehoe
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CRDO2

Hedgerows: food,
health & habitat
 Many of the plants in this
month’s list are perfect
size and habit for hedges
and hedgerows
 Be sure to look at the list
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Netleaf hackberry – Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
Celtis reticulata

 Native to western United States (mainly the
Southwest), but extending eastward
 Riverside & San Bernardino Co, Kern Co -
Banning, Mojave Desert Mtns
 Most commonly in bottomlands, washes, ravines,
arroyos, etc. Also as scattered individuals in
desert shrubland and semi-desert grasslands.
© Project SOUND
Netleaf hackberry – Celtis laevigata var. reticulata
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?7729,7730,7731
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/celtis_reticulata.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis_reticulata

© Project SOUND
Celtis: nice size water-wise tree
 Size:
 20-30 ft tall
 20-30 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Usually a small tree with relatively
short trunk; bumpy bark
 Spreading branches; rounded form
 Medium-slow growth; lives 100-
200 years
 Winter deciduous
 Foliage:
 Medium green; simple with net-like
veins underside; gritty feel
 Roots: wide-spreading, shallow & deep.
Don’t plant too near foundation
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.bio.utexas.edu/courses/bio406d/images/pics/ulm/celtis_laevigata_reticulata.htm
http://www.bio.utexas.edu/courses/bio406d/images/pics/ulm/celtis_laevigata_reticulata.htm

© Project SOUND
Flowers: not much to
write home about
 Blooms: spring - usually March-
April S. CA
 Flowers:
 Separate male and female flowers
on same plant
 Female flowers (shown) not very
noticeable – green-yellow and small
 Flowers on this year’s growth
 Fruits develop from an inferior
ovary
 Vegetative reproduction:
 Can re-sprout from root crown if
above-ground portions are
damaged
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Celtis_reticulata
http://www.friocanyonnature.com/n/w/celtis-r.htm

Fruit: sweet drupes
 Fruits are small drupes ( ¼ - ½ inch)
 Ripen in late summer or fall; ripe
fruits are red to dark red
 Surprisingly sweet and tasty – you
can eat them fresh, but they have a
big seed
 Important food source for many
Native American peoples; eat fresh,
dried, as fruit leather, cooked
 Make nice jelly, candy, syrup – or
dried and ground for tea, seasoning
 Birds love them; they stay on the
tree in winter, so birds can eat
great quantities of them
© Project SOUND

Drupe: think ‘peach’
 Drupe: Seed enclosed within a
stony endocarp (pit).
 fleshy, one-seeded fruits that do
not split open at maturity; the
seeds are enclosed in a woody
shell, the endocarp (Toxic).
 These hard-shelled seeds are
often called ‘stones’.
 Cherries, plums, peaches
(including Desert peach and
Desert almond), mangos,
hackberries, madrone and olives
are stone-fruits (drupes).
© Project SOUND

Have you ever noticed how birds know
when the fruits are ripe?
© Project SOUND
http://www.gardenguides.com/633-barren-bushes-treat-
hungry-birds.html

Why do fruits change color as they ripen?
 Answer 1: to let their seed
disseminators know that fruit is
ripe (seeds are mature)
 Answer 2: changes in fruit’s
pigment composition
 Decrease in chlorophyll (which
masks other pigments)
 Production of new pigments:
anythocyanins
 Changing pH – changes color of
anthocyanins from blue to red
 Other chemical changes
© Project SOUND
http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/imagelib/imgdetails.php?imgid=219192

Cooking with native Rosaceae fruits
 Pick when ripe – a few slightly
under-ripe are fine (and will help
jelly set better)
 Wash and remove damaged fruits
 Dry or expose to heat through:
 Baking
 Simmering in a little water to
extract juice
 Seeds will stay intact (they are
pretty hard)
 Seeds are strained out before
using as juice/jelly/syrup
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Hackberry: hardy
 Soils:
 pH: any local, including alkali
 Light: full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: wide tolerance range:
Water Zone 1-2 to 2-3
 Fertilizer: whatever you want to
supply
 Other: galls are common; pther than
that no problems
Sheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/fieldguide/plantae/celtis_reticulata.html
Start training up fairly early

© Project SOUND
Hackberry: water-
wise shade tree
 Shade, water-wise, habitat and
fruit – good all-purpose tree
 Good choice for home & public
 Fine for rain garden/infiltration
 Takes heat, cold, sun
http://selectree.calpoly.edu/treedetail.lasso?rid=301
http://museum2.utep.edu/chih/gardens/plants/celtisr.htm

French gardens are known for their play
of sun and shade
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.rightfrenchmove.com/french-property-buy-detail.php?ID=1037

Follow the French: choose edible trees
© Project SOUND
http://www.aridzonetrees.com/AZT%20Interactive%20Buttons/Tree%20Index/Cut
%20sheets/Celtis/Celtis%20reticulata.htm
http://www.lushome.com/lovely-french-country-home-interiors-outdoor-rooms-rustic-
decor/105065
http://rosesandrustblogger.blogspot.com/2012/08/provencal-in-franschhoek.html
In small gardens, fruit trees
provide shade, food and habitat

© Project SOUND
* Western Serviceberry – Amelanchier alnifolia
© 2007 Matt Below

© Project SOUND
* Western Serviceberry – Amelanchier alnifolia
 Mainly a plant of the Pacific
Northwest, the midwest and
western Canada – up to AK
 In CA, mainly in the northwest;
also, in the western San Gabriel
mountains
 Found on forested slopes, open
rocky woods, cliff edges,
prairies, or along side streams
or lakes; also bogs and wet sites.
 ‘Serviceberry’ and ‘Juneberry’
refer to the time of bloom
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/DENDRO/DENDROL
OGY/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=193

© Project SOUND
In the local mountains, Western
Serviceberry is an understory to pines
 Often grows in the
shade of the overstory
trees
In Western San Gabriels
http://biology.csusb.edu/PlantGuideFolder/SanGabriels.htm

© Project SOUND
Western Serviceberry: very adaptable
 Size:
 6-15+ ft tall
 6-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Erect shrub/single or multi-
trunk small tree
 Branches smooth with gray or
red bark
 Dense, but winter-deciduous
 Medium/slow growing
 Foliage:
 Medium to dark green
 Leaves oval, toothed
 Roots: spreads via rhizomes; also
deep taproots
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=amal2

© Project SOUND
Serviceberry is showy in bloom
 Blooms:
 Spring: usually Apr-May
in Western L.A. Co.
 Bloom period up to 1 mo.
 Flowers:
 White; rose-like
 In dense clusters; very
showy
 Fragrant (sweet)
 Seeds:
 Like rose; propagate
similar to roses
© 2004, Ben Legler

© Project SOUND
But most folks like
the berries best
 Ripen in summer
 Dark blue-purple when ripe
with white bloom – look
like blueberries
 Loved by berry-eating
birds – you’ll probably have
to outwit them!
 Use just like a blueberry:
 Eat fresh or dry
 Used in baked goods
 Use for sauces, syrups,
jellies, beverages, etc.
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=amal2 http://www.malag.aes.oregonstate.edu/wildflowers/species.php/id-103

Berries: think ‘currant’
 Fruit from a superior ovary, whole
pericarp is fleshy, no stony layer,
one or many seeds
 entire ovary wall ripens into a
relatively soft pericarp, the seeds
are embedded in the common flesh
of the ovary
 Examples: tomato, persimmon,
grape, date, blueberry, grape,
serviceberry, currants/
gooseberries, loquat, pomegranate,
orange, lemon, grapefruit, banana;
most members of the squash family
(Cucurbitaceae) such as watermelon,
cantaloupe, cucumber. .
© Project SOUND

What’s the difference between a
vegetable and a fruit?
 Answer: it all depends on who is
talking
 Botanist:
 Fruit is a matured ovary that contains
seeds; a vegetable is from a non-
sexual part (leaf, root, stem, etc.)
 If it contains seeds, it’s a fruit
 Chef:
 Fruit is sweet and a vegetable is not
© Project SOUND
http://all-free-download.com/free-vector/vector-misc/fruit_cut_in_half_310961.html
http://img4-3.cookinglight.timeinc.net/i/2006/11/0611p26a-
squash-l.jpg?400:400

© Project SOUND
Serviceberry does well in the home garden
 Soils:
 Texture: just about any
moderately or well-drained soil
 pH: likes pH between 5.0-7.5
 Light:
 Adaptable: part-sun best, but
can take full sun to quite shady
 Water:
 Winter: like good soil moisture
 Summer: best in Zone 2 to 2-3
 Fertilizer: likes a good organic
mulch like leaf litter
© Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

© Project SOUND
Serviceberry: a
garden favorite
 Makes a great small tree
for front yard or patio
 Fine as a large shrub;
dormant Dec.-Feb/Mar
 Good choice for hedge,
hedgerow or screen
 Espalier along a wall
 Can even trim to a medium
groundcover
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/amelanchier.htm
http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Trees/Shrubs/junebrry.htm
http://www.denverwater.org/cons_x
eriscape/xeriscape/garden2002.htm
l Leave some of previous year’s
growth as fruiting wood

© Project SOUND
French gardeners make the most of
whatever space they have
 French (and other Europeans) grow grapes, citrus, apples, pears
and other fruits in very narrow spaces: espalier and hedges
http://greengrasslandscape.com/plantdata1.htm

Walls/fences can provide
food and beauty
 Hanging pots/planters with greens, herbs
 Used to support melons & other vines
 Fruit trees espaliered along a wall
© Project SOUND
http://monkeyfister.blogspot.com/2009_04_26_archive.html
http://www.bellewood-gardens.com/2006/Garden%20Writers'%20Get-Together.html
http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningguides/landscaping/design/Chai
nReaction.aspx

Espaliers
 First introduce in the Roman times
and later mastered in the European
Middle Ages, espaliers were a way of
planting fruit trees and berry-
bearing shrubs in limited spaces
(small courtyards) because they are
trained to grow vertically along flat
surfaces.
 They can be created using fruit trees
and/or selected native shrubs/trees
(need to have proper growth
structure)
 Great use of narrow spaces
 An espalier can add color, texture,
smell and many other elements to a
dull wall/fence.
© Project SOUND
http://thisbountifulbackyard.com/2012/05/13/mothers-day-trip-to-
chicago-botanic-garden/

Ribes – a member of the Gooseberry
family (Grossulariaceae)
 120-150 gooseberry species:
Northern Hemisphere and
temperate South America
 Deciduous woody shrubs
 Alternate and usually
palmately (hand-like) lobed
leaves
 Flowers in “fives”, in
bunches at ends of short
branches
 Edible fruits – although some
are more tasty than others!
http://montana.plant-life.org/families/Grossulariaceae.htm
Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service

Everybody loves wild currants!!!
 Flowers:
 Hummingbirds
 Numerous early
pollinators
 Forage source for
Coppers, Monarch and
Anglewing butterflies..
Foliage:
 Roosting, loafing, nesting
for birds
 Browse for large animals
 Insect food
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Pink%20E
nlarged%20Photo%20Pages/ribes.htm

Everybody loves wild currants!!!
 Fruits:
 Humans - berries are tasty and
tart, high in Vitamin C
 Birds – many species
 Robins
 Cedar waxwings
 Vireos
 Grosbeaks
 Mockingbirds
 Finches
 Jays
 Many, many more
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Pink%20E
nlarged%20Photo%20Pages/ribes.htm

Moroccans (and French) also grow
fruiting plants in containers
© Project SOUNDhttp://jeffreygardens.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Our native Ribes would probably work
well in large containers
 Ribes aureum var. gracillimum
 Ribes californicum
 Ribes indecorum
 Ribes malvaceum
 Ribes speciosum
 Ribes menziesii
 Ribes montigenum
 Ribes sanguineum var.
glutinosum
© Project SOUND
http://www.sagestonelandscapes.com/containergardens.htm

© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape – Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium
© 2006 Louis-M. Landry

© Project SOUND
Oregon Grape is a
popular home shrub
 foundation plant
 mass plantings; shrub border
 mixes well with other
broadleaf evergreens
 useful in shady spots
 desirable for spring bloom,
high quality summer foliage and
blue fruit in fall
 All CA native barberries have
edible fruit

Nevin’s Barberry – Mahonia (Berberis) nevinii
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Nevin’s Barberry (chaparral shrub) tolerates
typical garden conditions
 Soils:
 Well-drained; sandy or
gritty best
 Light:
 full sun is best
 Bright shade
 Water:
 Quite drought tolerant
when established
 Give very infrequent deep
waterings to improve berry
set
 Nutrients:
 None/low
http://thedeaneorganization.com/clients/lasgrwc/details.asp?action=ProfileDetails&Profil
eID=37
A good choice for hedges and
hedgerows

© Project SOUND
Fremont’s Barberry – Berberis (Mahonia)
fremontii
Gary A. Monroe @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

 Primarily a plant of the Four
Corners region
 In CA, Peninsular Ranges, e&s
Mojave Desert (Granite Mtns;
New York Mtns)
 Rocky slopes, pinyon/juniper
woodland, chaparral, 900–1850 m
© Project SOUND
Fremont’s Barberry – Berberis fremontii
http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Mahoni_fre/_Mah_fre.htm ©2002 Dr. Louis Emmet Mahoney
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500229
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-
bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?1996,2000,2005

© Project SOUND
Fremont’s Barberry:
large shrub
 Size:
 5-10 ft tall
 5-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 large, straggly to mounded
evergreen shrub
 Upright form; branched
 Slow-growing
 Foliage:
 Green to gray-green; leaves
holly-like
 Unique, attractive
 May provide fall color
 Roots: bright yellow dye and
medicinals
 Introduced into cultivation in
California by Theodore Payne

© Project SOUND
Flowers are fantastic!!
 Blooms: in spring – usually
March-May in S. CA, depending
on weather
 Flowers:
 Bright, golden yellow
 Small but many – a mature
plant can be covered in
flowers
 Fragrant
 Flowers attract insect
pollinators (primarily bees)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mahonia_fremontii

Berries are edible
 True berries with small
seeds
 Ripen in summer
 Ripe berries red to purple;
about ½ inch
 Slightly drier flesh than
other Berberis/Mahonia
 Berries are sour but edible
fresh, cooked (usual), or to
make a beverage
 Birds and mammals also eat
berries – they won’t go to
waste
© Project SOUND
http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Mahoni_fre/_Mah_fre.htm
http://www.wildlandnursery.com/456/mahonia-fremontii-desert-holly/fremontberries2/

© Project SOUND
Most drought tolerant
mahonia
 Soils:
 pH: any local
 Light: full sun to part-shade;
tolerates heat well
 Water:
 Winter: adequate
 Summer: quite dry to some
irrigation – Water Zone 1-2 to 2
probably best.
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils;
inorganic or very thin organic mulch
 Other:
 Beware of prickly leaves
 Is not planted in agricultural
areas because is an alternate
host for wheat rust (fungal)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mahonia_fremontii

© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Fremont’s barberry
 Ornamental shrub; seasonal color
 In hedges/hedgerows or espalier
 Great addition to habitat/edible
garden
 Appropriate for desert gardens
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://www.greensparrowgardens.com/2013/11/denver-botanic-garden-does-not.html http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/yellow%20enlarged%20photo%20page
s/mahonia.htm

© Project SOUND
Barberries are tart but delicious
 Can be eaten directly for
a tasty zing!
 Can be fermented with
sugar to wine
 Make nice, tart jellies –
good with meats
 Boil berries in soup to
add flavor
 Use to make sauces and
marinades for ham, pork,
chicken

 Primary distribution outside of CA
 South Coast Ranges, Western Transverse
Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains
 Mt. Pinos, Cuyama River Valley/Piru
 Along streams, river bottoms, slopes,
1000–2000 m.
 Introduced into cultivation in California
by Theodore Payne
© Project SOUND
* Silver buffaloberry – Shepherdia argentea
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_cpn.pl?SHAR
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherdia_argentea
©2010 Lee Dittmann

Elaeagnaceae – the Oleaster family
 45-50 species; three genera (Elaeagnus,
Hippophaë, Shepherdia).
 Small trees and shrubs
 Temperate regions of the Northern
Hemisphere, south into tropical Asia and
Australia
 Most of the species are xerophytes (dry
habitats); several are also halophytes,
tolerating high levels of soil salinity.
 Commonly thorny, with simple leaves often
coated with tiny scales or hairs.
 Often harbor nitrogen-fixing
actinomycetes of the genus Frankia in their
roots, making them useful for soil
reclamation.
 Can be weedy
© Project SOUNDRussian Olive - invasive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_angustifolia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shepherdia_argentea
_%E2%80%94_Matt_Lavin_001.jpg

© Project SOUND
Silver buffaloberry: silvery foliage
 Size:
 6-15 ft tall
 6-10 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Deciduous large shrub or small
tree
 Bark silver-white, exfoliating
 Some stout thorns
 Foliage:
 Leaves simple, lance-shaped
 Color: silvery green – like olive
tree
 Roots: complex; shallow and deep;
sprouting from rhizomes
©2005 Louis-M. Landry
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SHAR

© Project SOUND
Flowers: simple
 Blooms: in spring - usually
April-May in many areas
 Flowers:
 Dioecious (separate male &
female plants)
 Both are simple, yellow
flowers – small (males
slightly larger)
 Long bloom period
 Bee pollinated – perhaps
with help from pollinator
flies
 Vegetative reproduction:
sprouting from rhizomes
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Fruits are drupe-like
 Ripen in late summer/fall
 Ripe color varies – usually dark
red but may be yellow
 Fruits have single large seed
 Use soon after harvesting – and
best to harvest after a cold spell
– sweeter
 Used to make pies, jams, and
jellies & other cooked foods; or
dried – breaks down the low
levels of saponins
 Native Americans also used
berries/bark medicinally for
fevers, stomach complaints &
more.
© Project SOUNDhttp://www.nps.gov/plants/sos/news/BLM-Montana-
Dakotas%20Miles%20City%20Field%20Office%20Develops%20Native%20Plant%20Materials%
20Program.htm

Harvesting
Buffaloberry
 The fruit ripens in late
summer and should be picked
slightly under ripe when
making jellies because of the
higher pectin levels.
 The fruit is best harvested
by shaking branches and
catching the fruits in a sheet
or flat pan spread on the
ground.
© Project SOUND
http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Elaeagnaceae.htm

Why do fruits get softer, juicier and
sweeter with time?
 Answer 1 – to attract their seed
disseminators
 Answer 2 – part of the life cycle of the
fruit (fruit senescence)
 Breakdown of cellulose bonds (some)
makes fruit softer
 Fruit cells take up and store more water
(juicier)
 Ripening fruits are a ‘sink’ – more sugars
are diverted to them from the leaves
 Some bitter-tasting (often poisonous)
compounds break down
 Involves several plant hormones, often in
response to environmental signals
© Project SOUND

Saponins and other compounds break
down with ripening
 Buffaloberry's fruit is tart but
sweetens some if given enough
time to ripen bright red and to
pass through several freezes.
 Robins, Sparrows, Red-Winged
Blackbirds, Grosbeaks, and many
other birds usually eat the fruit
when it is yellow or light orange
in July and early August, weeks
before humans would call it
palatable.
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Plant Requirements
 Soils:
 Texture: well-drained is best,
but adaptable
 pH: any local
 Light:
 Full sun to part-shade
 Water:
 Winter: needs good moisture
 Summer: fairly drought tolerant
but best with some summer
water – Water Zone 2 or 2-3.
Let dry out between waterings to
prevent fungal diseases
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
 Other: inorganic or thin layer of
organic mulch; prune out suckers
regularly – other than that easy

© Project SOUND
Garden uses
 Often used as hedge/ hedgerow
plant – also good on slopes
 Nice accent plant – showy
foliage and berries – quite
pretty with a little pruning
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://conservationgardenpark.org/plants/213/silver-
buffaloberry/

© Project SOUND
* Western Chokecherry – Prunus virginiana var. demissa
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=23962

© Project SOUND
Garden uses for
Chokecherry
 Trimmed as a small tree
 For hedgerows &
screens
 As a large accent shrub
– pretty most of the
year
 For erosion control –
good on slopes
 Note: recommended only
for colder gardens –
‘chill factor’http://www.landscapedia.info/images/plant_images/Prunus_virginiana_Canada_Red_.jpg

What is a ‘chill
factor’?
 Number of hours between 32 and 45°
F in a winter
 Why is it important? Keeps trees
from breaking dormancy prematurely
– corresponds to a ‘normal winter’s
worth’ of cold
 What happens if not met? Plants
won’t emerge from dormancy – won’t
bloom/fruit normally and may develop
other symptoms such as delayed/
extended bloom, delayed foliation,
reduced fruit set/poor fruit quality.
 Native plants from an area have the
‘right’ chill requirements for that
area
© Project SOUND
http://nativeplantwildlifegarden.com/chill-out-the-climatic-factor-
every-native-plant-gardener-must-know/
We live in a ‘low chill factor’
area

How do I know what the chilling
requirements are for a native fruit plant
 Not so easy – many native fruit plants
have not been formally tested.
 Always safe – local natives
 Also good bets:
 Chaparral plants (S. CA)
 Likely the desert plants
 Take a chance:
 Many plants have a wider tolerance
range than first believed
 Even if you don’t get lots of fruits,
you’ll have a nice tree/shrub
© Project SOUND

© Project SOUND
Small and shrubby, but a real peach
 Size:
 3-6 ft tall
 3-6 ft wide – but spreading
 Growth form:
 Dense, mounded shrub; lots of
side-branching
 Individual stems live ~ 5-10
years, then die
 Winter-deciduous
 Bark light gray
 Foliage:
 Light green to gray-green
 Leaves small for peach - desert
 Roots: clonal; spreading via rhizomes
http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/nemo/lid/plantlist/plantdetails.asp?ID=38
http://mudface.net/1landscapenatives.html

Yum, peaches
 In wild, tend to be
small & dry
 With a little summer
water they are
delicious
 Native Californians eat
fresh, make into jelly,
dry into fruit leathers
 Stems, leaves & roots
used for medicines,
dyes
© Project SOUND
© 1982 Gary A. Monroe

© Project SOUND
* Desert almond – Prunus fasciculata
http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Prunus_fas/_Pru_fas.htm

 Southwestern U.S. deserts
 San Luis Obispo south to the Mojave
and Sonoran Deserts from 2,000 to
6,000 feet
 Slopes and washes in Creosote Bush
Scrub, Joshua Tree Woodland, Pinyon-
Juniper Woodland, Coastal Sage Scrub,
Desert Chaparral
© Project SOUND
* Desert almond – Prunus fasciculata
http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/Ivanpah-Wildflowers.html http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Prunus_fas/_Pru_fas.htm

© Project SOUND
Desert almond: resilient desert shrub
 Size:
 3-7+ ft tall
 4-6 ft wide
 Growth form:
 Mounded to sprawling large
shrub; winter-deciduous
 Many short, rigid branches
with gray-white bark
 Foliage:
 Small, narrow leaves
 In bundles (fascicles)
 Medicinal: weak tea for colds,
rheumatism
 Roots: spreads via roots or
rhizomes
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Prunus_fasciculata http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Prunus_fas/_Pru_fas.htm

A desert survivor
 The leaf structures of most desert
perennials are modified to prevent
water loss: size, shape, coverings
 The leaves of Prunus fasciculata,
have very tiny hairs that help
reduce water loss by reflecting
heat and sunlight.
 Long-term persistence in current
landscape accompanied by high
resilience to climatic changes are a
likely reason that this species has
retained high genetic diversity
during the past 10,000 years.
© Project SOUND
http://chga2010.blogspot.com/2011/02/diverse-plant-flora-of-nevada-desert.html

© Project SOUND
Flowers: not as showy
as some Prunus
 Blooms: when weather begins to warm
– usually March-April
 Flowers:
 White or pale yellow; small
 Typical for Rosaceae: perfect
flowers in parts of 5
 In axils of twigs/leaves
 Good at attracting insect
pollinators
 Seeds:
 large, hard pit
 Like many such in Rose family (peach;
plum; etc) seed is toxic (contains
cyanins)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Prunus_fasciculata

Fruits: prized by Native
Americans
 Cahuilla considered the fruit a great
delicacy; important food and a highly
prized food source
 Small size: about ½-3/4 inch and large
pit
 Becomes yellow-orange and somewhat
soft when ripe (summer) – quite
pretty at this time
 Flesh can be eaten raw or cooked
 Probably best cooked for jelly, sauces,
mixed fruit leathers
© Project SOUNDhttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Prunus_fasciculata

© Project SOUND
Desert almond:
adaptable
 Soils:
 Texture: any well-drained from
clays to sand
 pH: any local including alkali
 Light:
 Full sun (or at least 6 hours per
day) for best fruiting
 Water:
 Winter: adequate; supplement in
dry winters
 Summer: quite drought tolerant;
best fruit Water Zone 2 –
infrequent deep water
 Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils –
might try light fertilizer (fruits)
 Other: no mulch/inorganic mulch or
very thin layer organic when young
©2013 Jean Pawek

© Project SOUND
Desert almond
 Proven winner in desert gardens
 Good choice for edible/habitat
hedge or hedgerow
 Good for erosion control
 Interesting accent plant,
particularly in winter and when
fruiting
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Prunus_fasciculata
©2013 Jean Pawek
http://www.fourdir.com/p_desert_almond.htm

© Project SOUND
Managing fruiting shrubs
in the Rose family
 Pest management:
 Susceptible to Fire Blight & fungal
diseases
 Practice good preventive measures
(see last lecture handouts)
 Pruning:
 Flowers/fruits on last year’s wood –
leave some if you want fruits
 In general, best with minimum of
pruning once general shape is
established
 Suckering:
 Will happen with watering
 Plant accordingly; good candidates for
mowed lawn area or someplace where
they can just fill in
http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/shrubs/chokecherry.shtml
http://www.stevenspoint.com/forestry/right_tree/11.html

Hardy habitat
hedgerow pairings
 Desert almond
 Desert peach (Prunus
andersonii)
 Fremont’s barberry
 Desert thorns (Lycium spp.)
 Desert lavender (Hyptis emoryi)
 Desert Olive - Simmondsia
chinensis
© Project SOUND
http://www.birdandhike.com/Veg/Species/Shrubs/Prunus_fas/_Pru_fas.htm

In summary
 We’ve learned
 What a fruit is
 How fruits form
 Some different types of
fruits
 We’ve been reminded again
of the close relationship
between plants, humans and
animals
© Project SOUND
http://loriaull.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/western-serviceberry-amelanchier-alnifolia/
Lazuli Bunting in Serviceberry Bush

In summary
 We’ve seen some ways that
fruiting trees and shrubs can be
used in gardens:
 Shade trees
 Hedges & hedgerows
 Espalier
 In large containers
© Project SOUND
http://www.glamourdrops.com/posts/2011/06/16/espalier-fruit-trees-thats-natty
http://www.saga.co.uk/lifestyle/gardening/features/growing-blueberries-in-pots.aspx?Posted=1

Summary
 We’ve learn why
unripe fruits and
seeds/pits of fruits
from the Rose Family
can make you sick
 We’ve also learn ways
to pick and prepare
these fruits safely
© Project SOUND

We hope we’ve inspired you to consider
adding a native fruit tree/shrub
© Project SOUND
http://shade-trees.tripod.com/families/selections/netted_hackberry.html

And we’ll keep on trying to tempt you…
© Project SOUND
Come to the Native Plant Garden Tea at Madrona - April 12
Visit Mother Nature’s Backyard Blog

California Native Plants with Edible Fruits

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Ähnlich wie California Native Plants with Edible Fruits

Ähnlich wie California Native Plants with Edible Fruits (20)

Mehr von cvadheim

Mehr von cvadheim (20)

Kürzlich hochgeladen

Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)

California Native Plants with Edible Fruits